Assessment of waste amalgam management in dental clinics in Ramallah and al-Bireh cities in Palestine.

The behavior of dental health personnel was examined with regard to the handling and proper disposal of wastes generated at common dental clinics, and some of the amounts of waste they produce were estimated. In January 2002, a random sample of 37 dental clinics was chosen in the cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh. The visited clinics were distributed between 31 private practices and six public/NGO dental clinics. The dentists were asked about the methods they follow in disposing and discarding of amalgam wastes. An average dentist is estimated to place two small, seven medium and nine large amalgam restorations releasing 22.6 grams of mercury each week. The majority of amalgam wastes ended up in trash or drain.